Designers Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello were inspired by the ages-old technique of evaporative cooling used in hot, dry climates (such as the use of porous, ceramic vessels to keep things cool), for making their digitally fabricated brick.

Created used a mixture of clay and organic materials, the 3D printed, porous ceramic bricks are set in mortar, and are made to soak up water like a sponge. The idea is that the modular, interlocking bricks would act like an intricate lattice that allows air -- which is cooled by the water contained in the small pores of the ceramic -- to flow through and cool the inside of the building through the process of evaporation. The particular form of the bricks also increases the amount of shading for the building's facade, thus also helping to keep the interior cooler.